Ski brakes of this type are known in various types of construction. For example reference is made to German OS No. 24 12 623, which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,271. Both in the case of this ski brake and also in the case of the further known ski brakes of this type it is disadvantageous that for pulling in the braking mandrels the entire spring wire must be stretched over sloped surfaces or specially designed abutting surfaces, in order to bring about the necessary swinging of the braking mandrels inwardly. The control of the pulling-in action can thereby take place only in the region whereat also the swivel axis of the spring wire is provided. However, it is disadvantageous, if one and the same structural part must meet both the stability and also the elasticity requirements which permits the pulling-in action.
Even more complicated is the task which must be solved, when additionally the erecting of the spring wire is to be accomplished by a torquing of the same, as this is the case in a number of known ski brakes of this type. Reference is made in this connection for example to German OS No. 25 23 012. This disadvantage was overcome by the ski brake shown in the Tyrolia Brochure 1/77 and existing on the market. However, this ski brake has also the first mentioned disadvantage.
Furthermore is is known from French OS No. 2 330 419 (FIGS. 23 and 24) to use cams for pulling in the braking mandrels, which cams are fixedly arranged on the pedal and load the swivel axis of the spring wire; in this known construction the ski brake has two swivel axes which lie spaced from one another in longitudinal direction of the ski, wherein both axes are each loaded by one cam in order to effect the desired amount of pulling in of the two braking mandrels. The same reference shows also an arrangement (FIGS. 20 to 22) in which the two legs of a spring wire are loaded by a crossbar, which has two ramps with sloped surfaces. Both embodiments have the disadvantages which have been mentioned in the beginning and which are created by the additional movement of the swivel axis or the swivel axes in longitudinal direction of the ski during the pulling-in operation.
The invention has now the purpose to improve a ski brake of the above-mentioned type such that the pulling-in action of the two braking mandrels can take place by spreading the spring-wire bar or the two wire parts without additionally using the swivel axis through its operation in longitudinal direction of the ski and also without changing the stability of the braking members.
The set purpose is inventively attained by the part of the spring-wire bar or the two bar parts, which is or are provided in the pedal, has a spreading area which is elastically flexible in relationship to the longitudinal axis of the ski brake and is separate from the swivel axis of the ski brake both locally and also effectively. Due to the inventive design of the ski brake the swivel axis can be designed stable independently from the elasticity of the spreading area.
This effect is increased inventively by arranging on the pedal a fingerlike projection which can be pivoted against the force of a spring, and which projection is held in the braking position of the ski brake by the spring at a distance from the bent part of the spring-wire bar or the two bar parts, however, in the retracted position of the ski brake is pressed between the two bent wire-section parts which extend bent in longitudinal direction of the ski. Furthermore due to the various constructions of the fingerlike projection and of the elastic area of the spring wire there exists the possibility to adjust the amount of pulling in of the braking mandrels best to the respective requirements.
A further preferable embodiment of the invention consists in the provision of a circular-shaped elastic part on the spring-wire bar being connected through two wire segments which extend parallel with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ski brake with each one wire segment of the spring-wire bar, which wire section lies substantially at a right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ski brake, wherein the two latter wire sections are arranged movably in or on the pedal in relationship to the longitudinal axis of the ski brake and perpendicularly with respect to same. In this manner spreading of the spring wire can take place without endangering the stability of the swivel axis of the entire ski brake.
A further preferable embodiment of the invention consists in the fingerlike projection having a support plate, which has a curvature at its end which is remote from a swivel axle, through which swivel axle the fingerlike projection is pivotally arranged on the pedal, the radius of which curvature extends perpendicular with respect to the upper surface of the ski in the position of the ski brake, in which this end rests on the upper surface of the ski. In this manner a secure and automatic operation of the fingerlike projection, namely an introduction of the same between the two bent parts of the spring wire is assured.
A still further thought of the invention lies in the height and/or the width of the fingerlike projection and thus the size of the spreading angle which determines the amount of pulling in of the braking mandrels being adjustable. Through adjusting the height of the fingerlike projection it is possible to change the position, in which pulling in of the two braking mandrels starts; by adjusting the width, namely adjusting the two sloped surfaces, the desired amount of pulling in of the two braking mandrels can be determined.